The Case of the Stained Stilettos

by Smith, Melissa J. L

  Joseph speaks up, “I wouldn’t call it a hunch, Uncle James. She’s just an excellent detective who understands how a good fastball can take a curve.”

  Mercy points to the plants hanging over the bar. “Dana, would mind if Uncle James borrows that bar stool to check through those philodendrons? I haven’t seen any evidence that they have been checked in a report.”

  James says, “Neither have I, and I don’t remember that being on Delaney’s report. He’s a rookie, as you probably already noticed. And frankly, I think you scared the daylights out of him, Mercy.”

  Dana waves her assent. James dons latex gloves and pushes a bar stool across the library, climbs up, and searches the hanging plants.

  His hand lands on a piece of plastic buried in one of the plants.

  James exclaims, “Found something in the philodendron!”

  James gets down from the stool and drops the object into an evidence bag and marks it.

  Ethan looks at Dana and says, “I just need one more favor…”

  Chapter 63

  The following evening, Dana is getting ready to host Mark and Susana’s engagement party at Le Coeur Bel.

  The following evening, Dana is getting ready to host Mark and Susana’s engagement party at Le Coeur Bel.

  Dana asks Wesley, “Were you able to reach any more of the guests to make the arrangements that Ethan wanted?”

  “All set, except for Penelope Hunt and Brian Radabaugh. Mr. Radabaugh and Ms. Hunt are flying back from a quick trip to New York to present at an awards show. Their assistants told me that they would be coming straight from the airport with no way to intercept without being rude,” Wesley says.

  “That’s probably fine, considering her son, Frank, will be here,” says Dana.

  “Also, flights from Miami have been canceled due to weather. Susana’s family won’t get to LAX until tomorrow night at the earliest. I told the District Attorney, and he said that it isn’t a problem,” adds Wesley.

  “It’s just as well,” says Dana. “If I get arrested and hauled out to jail tonight, it’s better if they see it on TV instead of in person.”

  Wesley asks, “Do you think that will happen? Are you sure you trust the District Attorney?”

  “I have no idea. All I know is that I seem to be out of options, so this one is as good as the next,” says Dana.

  The doorbell rings, and Wesley nods. “I guess we should get this show on the road.”

  Susana is the first to arrive, dressed in formal wear, sporting her very large engagement ring.

  “Mom!” she says to Dana. “Just trying it out,” she adds.

  Dana responds with a chilly, “Let’s don’t and say we did, shall we?”

  “Agreed,” says Susana, who flings her fur coat at Wesley, along with her Hermes bag.

  Mercy, Lucienne and Francesca arrive next and hand their coats and bags to Wesley with a “thank you.”

  Joseph follows them inside. He has a file folder in his hand but hangs onto it rather than handing it over to Wesley.

  Penelope Hunt and Brian Radabaugh arrive, followed by Ethan, Rena and James. Purses and coats are taken, but James hangs onto his briefcase.

  Frank, Helen and Carmella arrive next. Wesley takes their coats and purses and goes to tell the cook that dinner should begin shortly.

  Beth arrives last. Wesley returns to take her jacket and purse, but she shakes her head. She has no purse and prefers to wear her jacket, possibly feeling cold due to her skimpy camisole underneath the jacket.

  She drops her keys into her jacket pocket and joins the others in the dining room.

  Dana invites Wesley to join everyone at the table. He slides into the chair next to Carmella and smiles.

  Plainclothes police officers substitute for household staff tonight, unbeknownst to anyone other than Dana and Wesley.

  Dana stands to greet her guests. She proposes a toast.

  “Good evening, friends. Thank you for coming tonight to celebrate the engagement of my son, Mark, to his beautiful wife-to-be, Susana Alfonso,” says Dana.

  “We have decided to hold a small party this evening, as we all are still mourning the loss of our dear Sal,” continues Dana. “But I promise that we will have a larger celebration soon.”

  Dana raises her Baccarat champagne flute for a toast. “To Susana and Mark. May each of you get the happiness that you deserve,” toasts Dana, aware of her double meaning.

  The guests all lift their glasses in a toast.

  Susana responds, saying, “Thank you, Dana. I can’t tell you how happy I am to be joining your lovely family. I look forward to moving into Le Coeur Bel and seeing my new family every day.”

  Susana gives Blaine a sultry look that turns him beet-red.

  Dana nods to the stand-in butler to signal that dinner be served. The regular household staff and police doubling as waitstaff serve.

  Centerpieces are removed from the table and candles are lit. Elegant courses of the meal are served on Versace china, and polite chitchat fills the room.

  Brian Radabaugh has had a few too many glasses of wine on the turnaround flight to New York and his tongue loosens.

  “Great dinner, Dana. Not as many fireworks as your last one, but still a nice gathering,” says Brian.

  Penelope, also buzzed, adds, “Let’s just hope this one doesn’t end in another murder. How did it feel to be in ‘the big house,’ Dana?’ Is it like the part I played on Law & Order?”

  Dana, speechless and embarrassed, says nothing. Penelope’s son, Detective Frank Lawshé, jumps in.

  “Mother! Ms. Montgomery was never in ‘the big house’ as you so tactlessly put it!”

  “As Dana’s attorney,” says Joseph, “allow me to say that there is enough reasonable doubt in this case that I could foresee almost anyone at this party being a suspect.”

  Beth mutters, “And having a high-priced attorney doesn’t hurt her, does it?”

  Ethan intervenes with some news of his own.

  “Well, since the subject has come up, I will give you a scoop on tomorrow’s headlines...” says Ethan. “New evidence has come to light in the death of Sal Caggiano.”

  Chapter 64

  There are gasps around the table as all turn to face Dana. Worried, Dana reaches for Blaine’s hand. He squeezes hers back.

  Joseph says, “Thank you for a delicious dinner, Dana. Would you mind if we had our coffee in the library?

  Dana, puzzled, nods her assent and indicates to the stand-in butler that the party will be moving to the library for coffee.

  “Is everything set up, Wesley?” asks Mercy.

  “Per your instructions, Ms. Wilde,” says Wesley, happy to not be playing the butler role this evening. He puts his arm around Carmella and escorts her to the library.

  The guests take their seats, and coffee is served.

  Mercy stands at the front of the room to address the guests.

  “Thank you for such a lovely dinner, Dana, and for including us in your family’s special time,” says Mercy.

  “It’s wonderful to be here with my closest friends, even the ones that brought up my arrest,” Dana says.

  Frank glares at his mother.

  Ethan says, “Speaking of that unfortunate arrest of Ms. Montgomery, Chief Crayton and I have brought Dana a gift for including us this evening.”

  Mark whispers to Dana. “I still don’t understand why you invited them.”

  Dana replies, “Francesca insisted. She said it would help in my defense.”

  Ethan takes out his phone and Wesley shows him how the streaming has been set up. Ethan streams the video from his phone to the TV and pauses it after a few seconds.

  Ethan asks, “Mark, could you please recall some of the events of the day of Sal’s death?”

  “Sal came in from setting up the party,” recounts Mark. “He was worried about keeping his temper in check if Beth and Blaine started flirting. I gave him four of Mom’s tranquilizers to take at the party, if he started to l
ose it.”

  “What time was that?” asks Joseph.

  “I’m not positive. He hadn’t been here long, so between 8:30 and 9 a.m., I think,” answers Mark. “Beth may know more. They had just had their first fight of the day.”

  Joseph looks at Beth, who glares back at him and notes the time on his pad. “What time did you arrive, Beth?”

  “Eight-thirty on the nose. Sal and the other caterers were here already, but I had to stop by the deli to pick up some things they forgot to bring,” says Beth.

  “And the argument occurred soon after your arrival?” asks Mercy.

  “What is it with you people? You can’t remember two minutes ago? Yes, I had only been here a few minutes!” snarls Beth.

  “And the argument was about…?” asks Ethan.

  Beth glares at Susana, points, and says, “Her.”

  Mercy clarifies, “Not about Blaine?”

  Beth sighs and says, “Yeah, him, too.”

  “I believe you arrived not long after their argument, Susana?” says Joseph. “You went down to the party area when you arrived to help Sal set up?”

  Susana replies, “Yes. Beth and I had a disagreement in the driveway, so I went to help Sal. Wesley and Carmella both saw Beth and me arguing in the driveway.”

  Susana looks at Beth. “You’re lucky I didn’t press charges for assault.”

  “What?” answers Beth. “You break a nail or something?”

  “Wesley, you can confirm the scuffle?” asks Joseph.

  “Yes. Both Carmella and I saw Susana go to help Sal set up after Beth, uh, ‘ran into’ Susana in the driveway.”

  “One more quick question, Wesley,” says Ethan. “How many times did you see Sal go into the library on the day of the party?”

  Wesley replies, “I’m not sure. The first time was early in the day with Mark. He came back later looking for Mark and went into the library. I believe it was after three.”

  “Mark, did he find you?” asks James.

  “No,” says Mark. “But it was after I showed Luci and Frank around, because I stalled him so they could go back in the house.” Lucienne and Frank nod their heads that it had to be after three.

  “Other than these two incidents, is there anyone in this room who saw Sal Caggiano that day?”

  Penelope raises her hand. “I saw him at the bar, but I didn’t know who he was. He was just the bartender.”

  Frank snaps, “Just the bartender? Mother, from everything I’ve heard, Sal Caggiano was a very kind man who was friends with these people. At least have the decency to respect their grief.”

  Frank turns to James, “Chief, may I send my mother and her husband home soon? Before I am tempted to use my firearm?”

  Lucienne giggles, and James suppresses a smile. “Soon, Detective. Soon.”

  “Did anyone else besides Mark, Susana and Beth have an extended or private conversation with Mr. Caggiano on the day of the party?” asks Joseph.

  Dana’s eyes well up with tears. “I did. At the party. But you already know about that.”

  Ethan looks at her, intently. “Besides the flirting, was anything important said?”

  Dana thinks, then says, “Not really. I told him I was happy for him if Beth made him happy. He said Beth was driving him nuts that day.”

  Beth snorts at Dana.

  “How attractive,” Dana replies. “Anyway, Sal told me that he took the last two tranquilizers out of the bottle, but I told him it was no big deal, that I had more.”

  Mark’s head whips around. “Mom, what did you say?”

  Blaine looks at Mark, then Dana. “Dana, are you sure you weren’t too … uh … are you sure that’s what he said?”

  Dana looks at them, surprised. “What? I told you that I wasn’t as … uh … well, whatever,” she says, not wanting to say more.

  “Mom, there were more than two dozen pills in that bottle on Friday. They spilled out on the bar, remember?”

  Blaine nods in agreement. “Yes, twice. Definitely almost a full bottle.”

  Ethan and James review their notes and confer in the corner.

  Mark, exasperated, sighs. “This is all fascinating, but could someone explain what it means?”

  Joseph says, “It means that Dana didn’t kill Sal.”

  Dana’s throaty laughter erupts, and she says, “Not to be rude, Joseph dahhling, but I could have told you that without going through all of this folderol.”

  Joseph smiles, “Yes, you could have told me that you weren’t the murderer, but I’m not sure the district attorney would have believed you.”

  Dana laughs. “Everybody’s a critic. Coffee, anyone?” as she heads for coffee.

  Mark says, “Mom, I thought the doctor suggested that you stick with water because of your blood pressure.”

  Rolling her eyes, dramatically, Dana says, “Oh, my sainted aunt! Must I give up everything I’ve ever enjoyed just to be healthy? What’s next? Cupcakes?”

  Susana’s face goes dark, wishing she, too, could eat cupcakes.

  Ethan hands the phone to Joseph to run the video, and Ethan retrieves the paramedics’ report from the briefcase.

  “I’m so glad you brought up health, Dana. Have any of you recently given up omelets? Paramedics heard Sal say ‘poisoned’ and one thought he said ‘omelet,’ but it was a little garbled.”

  Beth says, “We didn’t serve omelets at the party.”

  “We’ve not made omelets at the estate since Blaine’s last cholesterol test,” Dana says.

  Blaine speaks sternly to the drunken Penelope and Brian, still not sober after their one-day turnaround to New York. “I’d prefer not to hear that tomorrow on TMZ if you don’t mind.”

  Beth says, “So why was Sal talking about omelets? Was he hallucinating?”

  “We don’t believe that’s what he said,” says Mercy.

  Mark says, “Why would a paramedic have a reason to lie about something so trivial? Blaine likes omelets, I like Bourbon. What does that have to do with murder?”

  “Since the paramedics gave their statements, some new evidence has come to light, provided by a previously uninvolved party,” says James.

  Susana’s haughty attitude floods out. “Who is this ‘unknown party?’ Did Dana hire some down-on-his-luck actor to give her an alibi?”

  Mercy hides her irritation at Susana’s comment and says wryly, “What an interesting opinion you have of your future mother-in-law.”

  Mercy pauses for effect. “Does that extend to your future father-in-law, as well?” Susana rolls her eyes and shifts in her seat.

  Joseph says, “Trust me, our source would have come forward sooner had she been in the loop sooner.”

  Blaine rises and stomps toward Joseph, jerking the phone out of Joseph’s hand.

  “Enough with the cheap theatrics! This isn’t a reality show. We’re talking about my wife’s life!” screams Blaine.

  Blaine continues his rant, “Is this witness reliable? Who is she and what are her credentials?”

  Joseph says, “She’s never lied to me before. Her name is Mabel, and she’s our cat.”

  Blaine explodes. “Have you lost your mind?”

  Mercy says, “Let’s find out. As long as you have the phone, Blaine, why don’t you resume the video?”

  Blaine hits “play” and the video cues up to the footage of Blaine’s classroom, taken the day following Sal’s death.

  “Blaine, I believe this is your classroom, and that is the way it looked on the night when Mercy and I found Sal,” says Joseph.

  A small sob escapes Mark’s lips as looks at the scene where Sal died, as he tries to retain his composure.

  Mercy gives Mark a sympathetic look and turns to Blaine. “What did you discuss in class the day before, Blaine? You can see it here,” Mercy says, pointing to the TV.

  “We were discussing Hamlet and the ‘Four Elements of a Play’ as they apply,” says Blaine as he pauses the video. “The lesson plan is on the blackboard. I assume the crack ha
ppened when it fell and hit the podium.”

  Mercy turns around and waits for the lightbulb to go on in the roomful of actors.

  Mark seems to be following what they have been saying. Mumbling to himself, Mark says, “Omelet? Hamlet?”

  Mercy turns to her mother for a refresher on acting. “Mom, what are the elements of a play?”

  Francesca points at the blackboard freeze-framed on the video. “They’re right there ... Introduction, Rise of Action, Climax and Denouement.”

  Mercy continues, “And what is considered the ‘climax’ of the play in Hamlet?”

  “There are differences of opinion. Since the climax is the point that decides the outcome of a play, in Hamlet, some point to the death of Polonius. Others think it’s the duel between Laertes and Hamlet. But having played Queen Gertrude several times, I and many others contend that the real climax is when Gertrude dies,” says Francesca.

  Francesca pauses, looks around at her fellow actors to see if they have comprehended the situation yet. “A room full of actors and nobody is following?” she asks.

  Dana responds, “I do, dahhlinng. I imagine we’re the only two in here who have any experience with the Bard. I, too, love playing Gertrude.” She pauses. “But only on stage.”

  Mark replies, “As a matter of fact, Sal and I both brought up Gertrude’s death as the climax in Blaine’s class the other day.”

  Dana responds dryly, looking at Blaine. “Oh really. And what did he say?”

  Surprised, Mark thinks about Blaine’s response. “Actually, he said you’re so talented that you could turn any scene in a play into the climax.”

  Dana looks down, shyly, and says, “Thank you, Blaine.”

  James clears his throat to urge the group to get back to business. “What’s next, Ches?”

  “The queen accidentally drinks a poison meant for Hamlet. It was an accident because Hamlet’s stepfather was trying to poison Hamlet in order to get his stepson’s kingdom and inheritance,” Francesca explains, looking around the room for reactions.

  Seeing nobody comprehending yet, her gaze lands on Blaine.

  Chapter 65

  Blaine reacts to Francesca’s stare with indignation.